Help me, help me!! :)

[Chris101]

I am making my annual Bastille Day Pilgrimage to the sea, where I will spend a few hours sitting by the sea, staring at the horizon. But then I'll probably want to take a picture or two. But instead of hauling my whole kit along, I just want to take a minimal set. Just one lens, maybe 2 from my list:

24-120vr ~ 35mm f/2 ~ 180mm f/2.8 ~ 12-24DX ~ 60mm f/2.8 micro ~ 85mm f/1.8

The vr and 35 are my usual walk-arounds for day/night. I have gotten some of my favorite soca portraits with the 180. I rarely use the other 3 for general shooting. What is your suggestion? I don't want to decide - this is for pure fun, I have no goals.

 

[Panos Kazanelis]

Chris, I think that the 12-24 + 24-120 combo will ...take no prisoners... ;-)

 

[dmwphoto]

it could be a fun experiment to take ony one that does not cover the "normal" ranges. I dare you to try and get by with the 85mm or 12-24 only. It would be even more of a challange to get by with just the 60mm micro. What you WILL end up with in any of the 3 above is real creative use of the one you took. SO how say you on this?

 

[Chris101]

Thanks Panos. For sure, the 10X combo will afford me the greatest range, and it will also be different, cause I usually use the primes for pleasure shooting.

My only fear is becoming paralyzed with indecision when the obvious focal length for the perfect shot is 24mm...

 

[Chris101]

Hey Dave, this was my first thought - make myself work outside the range I'm used to. And those 3 are my least used lenses. The 85 is my newest, and we're still at that awkward, 'don't know what to say to each other yet' stage.

I'm thinking it'll make me get closer than the 180 that I'm used to. Hmm. Mid-life crisis time? Oh, wait, ...

 

[MontyDog]

#1064 - You have an error in your SQL syntax;

 

[nfoto]

60/2.8 and forget the rest of them.

 

[Chris101]

Ah the micro, Bjørn. This is the lens I bought my D100 for and with.

I don't know though, what to do with that lens without a tripod or copystand. Whenever I try, it works like a VA (vibration amplification) lens. The 60 has been associated with max detail and thus iso 200 but I spoze I could bump it up to keep the shutter short ...

 

[David Fink]

Hi Chris,

I'm having a hard time keeping track of your ever-changing avatars. I finally came to terms with the "hooded" one (several iterations ago), and then was sorry to see it go. :?

Anyway...on the present topic, I was struck by what you said about the 85/1.8. Nothing like a road trip at close quarters to force a new acquaintanceship. I think you should confine yourself to that one and see what develops for a friendship.

Second choice would be the 60/2.8, as Bjorn said....simply because it's the least plausible choice.

Hope you have a great time in any case.

BTW, What is particularly significant about Bastille Day regarding this trip?

Best wishes,

David

 

[gbenic]

Ya know Chris, you could always buy a new lens just for the trip!

 

[Rich Gibson]

Chris, I think that the 12-24 + 24-120 combo will ...take no prisoners... ;-)

Agreed!

 

[MontyDog]

#1064 - You have an error in your SQL syntax;

 

[greyflash]

If the 24-120 VR is not too heavy I would take that plus the 180. If you are concerned about weight I would take the 12-24 and the 180. That would work for me Chris.

 

[DavidM]

I really like the idea of the 85 1.8 by itself. It will force you to get to know it a little better, and perhaps bump you out of your comfort zone a bit.

Besides, my LLD for an 85 lens (preferably the 1.4) is running rampant right now so I could live vicariously through your results!

Of course you realize now that you will have to post your results as soon as you can.

 

[dmwphoto]

I got to thinking about
Pauls suggestion. flesh and macro can be fun :^)

 

[Ken-L]

24-120VR

 

[Chris101]

I'm having a hard time keeping track of your ever-changing avatars. I finally came to terms with the "hooded" one (several iterations ago), and then was sorry to see it go. :?

Anyway...on the present topic, I was struck by what you said about the 85/1.8.
...
BTW, What is particularly significant about Bastille Day regarding this trip?

This one?

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

That's my favorite too. The 85 does seem like it'll be one of the more versatile lenses, as it's fast and not too long and not too short. Plus it's small, and I like that. Bastille Day is my friend's birthday

Greg - I'd LOVE to get a new Sigma 30 and go with that, but unfortunately they are not available for Nikon yet. :|

Rich, that combination has to be one of the best 2 lens ranges available.

Paul, next time I'll ask her to strip, but the cop might not go for that. Oh wait, what am I thinking - it's California!

Gordon - or maybe just the 180 by itself... ?

David M - the 85 is getting a lot of votes. I'm gonna have to consider it even though I don't know how to use it. I mean, you get close open it up and shoot for the face, right? I can do that.

Dave Watts, wouldn't any lens and flesh go well together?

And Ken. How did I know you would suggest the baby vr? It's got a lot of votes too, but also the only one with a negative vote. Hmmmm.

 

[PJohnP]

Chris :

One lens ? Take the 85mm f/1.8, shoot with glee, and even shoot at night ! Fast glass, man !!!

Two lenses ? Take the 12-24mm AFS and the 85mm, and bring back some acres of bronzed flesh coupled with closeups of bronzed flesh (you could stretch the rules and bring an extension tube as well... :wink: :twisted: :wink: ).

I shot all Saturday last weekend at the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market with my 85mm f/1.4, and actually enjoyed the process of walking out the composition instead of "zoom-framing".

And I didn't have any succulent bronzed flesh to shoot at that event...


John P.

 

[Ken-L]

And Ken. How did I know you would suggest the baby vr? It's got a lot of votes too, but also the only one with a negative vote. Hmmmm.

Well, you throw out the low mark and the high mark, and average the rest......

If I could have any lens I wanted, and in fact had them all, but had to choose just one to take as an "all purpose" lens, I would choose the 24-120VR, to give me the versatility and "insurance" the VR gives against missing that "one-chance-only" shot.